Woman pleas guilty for fatal car crash while fleeing from police

Vehicle stolen in Butler Township, driver fled Huber Police

DAYTON — The Dayton woman accused of stealing a car, fleeing Huber Heights police, and causing a fatal crash has entered a guilty plea in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

Kyndra Je’Chelle Shackelford, of Dayton, plead guilty on four counts including aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, failure to comply, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. She remains in the Montgomery County Jail on $500,000 bond.

She is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Dennis Langer on Nov. 21. She faces mandatory prison time of up to 11 years on the most serious charge and is not eligible for probation. She also faces mandatory Post-Release Control upon release from prison.

Shackelford is accused of causing the death of Marcus Harper of Xenia who was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle, a 53-year old female, was seriously injured.

Shackelford suffered minor injuries and was found to have a high level of alcohol in her system. Her driver’s license was also suspended at the time of the crash.

That crash came at the end of a pursuit by Huber Heights Police that began after the police dispatch was notified of a vehicle that was stolen from the Speedway at 6501 Miller Lane in Butler Township. A press release from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says that alcohol is believed to a significant contributor to the crash.

A Huber Heights officer spotted a 2016 Chevy Impala that matched the description on Rip Rap Road and observed it crossing the yellow line. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Rip Rap Chambersburg Roads but the vehicle continued traveling south at a high rate of speed.

According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle entered the intersection of Wagner Ford and Needmore Roads at a high speed and struck a 1993 Chevy Blazer that was traveling through the intersection. The stolen vehicle struck the Blazer and continued through the intersection and hit a street sign and post near the crosswalk.

The Impala’s engine caught on fire and Huber Police Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies removed the driver from the car where she was taken to Miami Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

“This was a horrific traffic crash in which an innocent victim lost his life and another victim was left critically injured,” said Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck, Jr. at the time of her indictment. “The crash was completely preventable if only this defendant had not decided to flee from the police while driving drunk.”